2026 Photo Contest

Since 1993, the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation has encouraged the community to share their photographic perspectives of the park through the Mission Trails Photo Contest. This year, we received 207 entries, and 120 finalists have been selected for the exhibition.

All are invited to cast one vote for the People’s Choice Award. The winner will be announced in August. Voting is available in person only at the Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center, open daily from 9AM-5PM.

View the full online gallery below.

Adults: Animals

Going for a HikeHelen Brady Two fistedMiles Gray An Omen of BlistersAngie Van Wyk California Alligator LizardLucas Rohm Face First in BuckwheatMark Valen Running at a Snail's PaceKAELA LOBOSCO "An Eye Toward Spring" with the near-endemic WrentitRoee Astor No longer a trail..now it's a duck pond.Susan Lisowsky A Hungry BushtitKyla White Ruber in the ShadowsTucker Heptinstall Stealthy FrogGlenn Perelson Bench BreakCatherine Ferguson Ruby the RattlesnakeAshley Vopat Red Diamond RattlesnakeKristine Boggis Hummingbird Stops for a SnackSyed Usmani Ode to VolatilitySophia Kurig A surprise visitNancy Young MousingSara Coleman "Look Out, I’m Coming Through! (Yellow-faced bumble bee on Yerba Santa)!Mark James Whatcha Lookin' AtNicole Van Proyen A Frog Not Quite on a LogBen Slater Acorn Woodpecker with acornGary Ray Winged BeautyEvelyn Liautard Harlequin Bug with EggsSimon Meth Pipe SurferKarina Llorens Can I have some?Benjamin Martin Mortimer Watefowl on VegitationKevin Kitchen Small ViewsDenison Kappas Feed MeMichael Peddecord Deer MouseNick Zubel Coiled to Rattle: a Western Diamondback RattlesnakeLee Bowman California king snakeSara Bray Napping Bee in Chaparral MallowAngelina Keselburg Gone But Not ForgottenPatty Mooney Catchin' Some RaysDave Rowley Wings in the Last LightInigo Yanguas Basking Western Fence LizardMichael Vickery Eye-spy an Assassin FlyThomas Rinck Stillness in the waterTom Roseth Snowy Egret preeningKelly Lemm Tbone at Lake MurrayDalia Farnsworth Hiding In Plain SightEileen Hansotte Bunny MunchiesWilliam Walkenhorst Afternoon SiestaAmanda DiBenedetto Sunlit MonarchJohn Baretta Color of springmarc liautard Anna's RestBrendon Byard La La LandRobert Otto Aphideater on Rock RoseCarolyn Barkow Lake Murray Osprey flying near the boat ramp.ROBERT JONES Duck BuddiesSTEVEN GOLISCH VigilanceKristin Rigsbee The VisitorCarolyn Marx Bee-utifulMaria Lizaola Snack TimeNonia Holden Come Into My Flowers…Michael Nies Sun-drop in the Woolly CradleJulia Showalter If not for pets, why shaped like friend?Alexander Hodge-Wallis Reflections along the trailRuth Harrison Mission Trails Acorn WoodpeckerDaryl Williams In Loving Memory..Crystal Spaulding Madame ButterflyTiffany Williams Sunlit SerenityRebecca Muenkel La LagartijaLoraine Moreno Mr. MallardTiffanie Pucillo GoldenAiyana Bailin Royal JayJeannette White Blending InLUKE Anderson Allen's hummingbirdElba Watkins

Adults: Landscapes

Late Light on the TrailDorothy Borzsak Moonrise over Mission TrailsRichard Tibbitts Looking at the HorizonRickey Morton Trail BlazersSTEVEN JARAMILLO MountainsRichard Gleaves Today's CeilingJulie Michaels Winter Sunrise Over Lake MurrayDebbie Pittman Lake Murray at NightIan McCall Dew on a WebSteve Schmidt Kumeyaay Winter ViewBeth Strohman Toyon of the ValleyBen Piorkowski Above the cloudsBobby Wheeler Historic Landmark at the parKenneth Reifman Oak Canyon After The RainRick Kaylor Lake Murray serenityBruce Burr Storm Clouds gathering over Cowles Mountain.Jon Archenhold A Reflection of MonetNathan Miller Cloud surfingChris Marsh Low Clouds, High HopesSuzie Degenhardt Flight pathRachel Harper Observer of the TrailBreydon Ames Quite a StirShirley Day After the removal of invasive aquatic plantsNora Bodrian South Fortuna PeakCraig Chaddock Isle of CowlesJ. Cody Clark Oak Creek Canyon Morning Wonders.Ryan Culbertson Altocumulus SkyDoug Herbilla Over the Hills and Far AwayZachary Grubbs Sky meets stoneGuilherme Santos The Ancient AnchorMarc Kitaen BloomSkyy Romo Blissful BloomYadhi Aragon After The RainBenjamin Tomkins South Fortuna beyond large boulder MTRPMedwin Schreher Blue Elder in the GrasslandsStacey Miller Waterfall MemoryTodd Linke Framed SentinelSylvia Gaffney Silhouetted SerenityJay Steiger Sunset RippleGREG NOVAK Hills to the HorizonBarton Palmer Sunny CaliforniaRachel Heilpern The Finest Log Retirement HomeJoshua Heilpern On My WayMegan Wagner-Ashton Dark ShadowsShawn Chambers A misty morn'Andy Laub The Busy BeesEvan Ye Between GiantsLouka Dlagnekov Sunset HikeKayla Lizaola Cowles Majestic alter pre descent aweJohn (Hawkeye) Wozny Kwaay Paay After Some RainElizabeth Miraglia Spring SunriseMichelle Tolvo-Chan Golden GlowJohn Haney Reflections on Lake MurrayHaley Lukes Cowels hikingHeather Jackman Great DividesTara Flaugher Birth of SpringSandy Ansari Mountain View Through Sycamore Autumn LeavesNancy Stassinopoulos A Waning Gibbous Moon Works its MagicKathleen Kramer Last Light on the RidgeDanika Anderson Rocky outcropEdmund Cheng

Adults: People

Oak and AweLaura York Where Wonder Takes FlightVanessa Dimalanta Holidays with the Torassa'sJack Lewis Ceanothus on DisplayCatherine Presmyk Circles on the WaterStephanie Baldueza Sky Ballerina (Bear In The Air)Kristy Hobbs Grassland RambleCynthia Growden Free movementLaura Dourado Curiosity at your fingertipsTracy Jennings A Happy PicnicMark Schulze Thru her eyesElizabeth Homme Ewaa HomeGary Allard Family FunGwen Small A rest by the lightsMiguel Tapia SunflowerShaelyn Jenkins Child of Wonder/Oak of LifeRenee Holley Through the ChimneyJuli West These two are loving the mountain view, under the skies of blue.Laura Behana FrolickingNathaniel Wagner-Ashton Trail ViewsRobert Jenkins Everesting on Cowles: 92 miles, 30,000 feet, 24 hoursAllison Czapracki Another Amazing Day on the TrailPeter T Pham Morning Stroll, Oak Grove LoopRay Pfortner

Adults: Plants

Chocolate HillsEddie Gilbert Chocolate LilliesCarol P Murdock Fairy TrailJennifer Lagace Ray of HopeTheresa Ortega Eyes of the Oak is the Sentinel in the Shade.Deborah Jones Hot-pink Crepe-paper SurpriseMarsha MacDonald Pebble PincushionErika Laws California BuckwheatJean Yaremchuk Fried eggJoel Sharp Lemonade BerryMary Gibson The Portal to LifeBecky Black Chappparal MallowSusan Pease Mountain LilacLinda Meeker After the RainMary Peddecord WildflowersSara Bray MistPetalMuseMichele Addington Ramona Lilac in SpringCarolyn Reilly You BelongJulia Leclerc Chocolate DropsSharon Ferguson Red berriesGale Shipley All tangled upLizette Wancho Be All In!Ann Vilmenay Chocolate LiliesKatherine Zubel Flowers at Fading LightRainer Kurz Lichen -or- Beauty and the BeastChris Witnik Pink StarburstJessie Stein CanopyMatthew Ryan Toyon TransmissionEric Sandquist Busy BeeAlexis Ashworth

Kids 12 and Under

"The Forest of Wonder"Ariel Dimalanta The Face of StoneYsadora Baldueza Mission Trails BirdEmily Marroquin On the lakeClara Proudfoot The Duck SkyJune Proudfoot Beautiful natureGrace Behana Yellow flowers under golden sunlightMaddy Lynch HopperLeona Jenkins Nature's PoolEllison Seo Happy FamilyAnnika Rigsbee Moon Jellies on a MissionEllie Pham Small PerspectivesNaveen Chakravarthy

Teens

The Blueprint of BiodiversityLily Santiago Blue Skies Over the ValleyMakaylah Mcgowen Cormorant on a Foggy MorningToby Yau Blue's CluesLakota Spaulding Peek a BooLaraina Spaulding Adventure AwaitsSienna Schwarz Alabaster GloryLillian Heilpern Egret at SunsetJacob Taylor The Crimson ClimberAlbert Cho Pollen LoverMira Sandquist Hidden JemsLillian Golisch White Breasted NuthatchMaverick Frens Sunset BloomingMaeve Homme